The Latest: Ex-Uber CEO testifies in high-tech heist case

SAN FRANCISCO

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on the court fight between Google spin Waymo and ride-hailing service Uber (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick sparred with lawyers over his relationship with the former Google engineer accused of stealing self-car driving technology to help Uber.

Lawyers for Google spinoff Waymo, which is suing Uber, repeatedly challenged Kalanick about his discussions with Anthony Levandowski while he still worked for Google. Levandowski left in January 2016 to found a startup, Otto, which Uber bought a few months later.

Waymo alleges that Kalanick and Levandowski conspired to create Otto as a storehouse for trade secrets from Google’s self-driving car project.

Kalanick acknowledged meeting with Levandowski to discuss ways to improve Uber’s own self-driving car program before Levandowski left Google.

But Kalanick said he simply wanted to hire Levandowski for his expertise and his connections with other talented engineers.

12:14 p.m.

Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is poised to testify Tuesday in a high-stakes trial focused on charges that his company stole self-driving car technology from Waymo, a Google spinoff.

Barring delays, Kalanick will take the witness stand toward the end of the second day of testimony in the case. Waymo alleges that Uber used data purloined by former Google engineer Anthony Levandowski to build its own fleet of self-driving cars.

Waymo lawyers are expected to confront the combative Kalanick about his relationship with Levandowski, and whether the two plotted to rip off Waymo to help Uber’s ride-hailing catch up in autonomous vehicles.

Kalanick engineered Uber’s deal to buy a startup founded by Levandowski for $680 million.